The Shadow's Apprentice
The Shadow's Apprentice ---- The light arrives... ---- The trip took no longer than two days. Yasaki kept quiet, and his teacher took notice. "You haven't really spoken, Yasaki-kun." He stated, breaking the air of silence between them. The young boy only looked down at his feet as they walked. "Could it be that you're afraid after running away from home?" He asked, punctuating his sentence with laughter. Yasaki shivered, confirming Shinzui's question. Many would call it impulsive to abandon the only country they have ever known with a person they know little to nothing about. He failed to imagine the consequences for when he returned. As they continued their trek, they stopped at the edge of a hill. Ahead of them were numerous cliffs and mountains. Yasaki snapped from his fear to absorb the view. "Welcome to the ." Shinzui announced with great emphasis. The sound of a body hitting grass alerted him and urged him to turn around. He chuckled upon seeing his student passed out and void of consciousness. It hadn't occurred to him that his student's stomach was empty for two days. "Oh, right. There's a village not too far from here." - Yasaki's eyes opened slowly to see a light dangling from the ceiling. He sat up and observed his surroundings. He was in a small room. He immediately wondered where his teacher was and got up from the bed, exiting the room. Mouthwatering aromas filled the hallway - making Yasaki's stomach growl with the rage of a beast. He took his time coming down the stairs and was surprised to see his teacher conversing and laughing with a stranger. Shinzui was the first to spot him. "Ah! My student has awakened from his slumber." He said with a smile. The man standing at the stove with a pot in his hand smiled as well. "Yo. Looks like you smelled the food, huh?" He asked. He was a tall man with brown hair that fell to his back wildly. His eyes were dark in color. Yasaki took a seat at the table that his teacher was sitting. His eyes searched the house. "H-hello." He said shyly. "Yasaki-kun, this is Kojima. I've known him for quite a while." Shinzui informed him. Kojima chuckled before placing a plate of food in front of Yasaki. Fish, vegetables, rice, covered with a delicious brown sauce. Yasaki's eyes lit up at the sight of it. During their trip, he longed to taste his mother's cooking again. He would be the one to see if this meal came close to it. "Nice to meet you, Kojima-san." Yasaki stated before immediately digging into his plate. His taste buds danced with pleasure with every bite, and Yasaki failed to hold his own pleasure back, moaning after every bite of food. The flavors kept him coming back. Kojima smiled, being happy to see a stranger enjoying his cooking. "Wow, didn't know my cooking was that good. Eat as much as you'd like." He stated kindly. "So, tell me why you guys are in the Land of Fangs again?" Kojima asked. Yasaki continued eating with ferocity, so Shinzui spoke instead. "Training. The exams are approaching and I want to teach him to how to harness his Sharingan." He answered. Kojima's eyes widened. "He awakened them? Amazing. It's good for you to teach him then." He said as he watched Yasaki finish up his meal. "Where are we going, Sensei?" Yasaki asked, a piece of rice sticking to his mouth. Shinzui smiled and flicked the piece from his face. "You'll see." ---- The acquisition of knowledge.. ---- The pair travelled through the vast land that was the Land of Fangs. Yasaki walked beside him, watching the skies above him. Because of his lack of attention, he tripped and stumbled over something protruding from the ground. He collected himself and stood back up to his feet, but something eerily called out his name. He slowly turned around to look at what caused him to trip. His eyes widened. A pile of bones poking through the grass blades. A shining red jewel laid within them. Slowly, his hand went to grab it. He could feel a darkness emanating from it, but it called him and tugged at his very subconscious. He couldn't identify the feeling. As his hand met with the jewel, a feeling of overwhelming energy overcame him, sending him into a state of shock. "Yasaki-kun?" His teacher called. His voice brought Yasaki back to reality. He ran to him quickly, jewel in hand. "Sensei, I found this!" He exclaimed with joy before opening his hand. Nothing. His hand was completely empty. "I had no idea that you enjoyed tricking others." Shinzui stated coldly. "B-but--" Yasaki was cut off by Shinzui. "This is the Fang Temple." A large temple that looked torn down stood before them. Yasaki analyzed the structure. "It's been abandoned for close to twenty years now." He informed his student. Yasaki tilted his head at his teacher. "How did you discover this place?" He asked. Shinzui hesitated to answer. "I used to train here." They walked into the abandoned temple with cautiousness, hoping not to cause any more unnecessary damage to the building. The floors were dusty, the marble pillars were scuffed, and the wallpaper of the temple was peeling: the entire building had definitely stood through the tests of time. Shinzui wasted no time undressing, discarding his hooded cloak. "Now, Yasaki-kun. The real training can begin."